Ecclesiastes 2:16 Meaning and Explanation
“For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Preacher laments that wise and fool alike are forgotten and die the same death.
What Does Ecclesiastes 2:16 Mean?
The thought deepens into the sorrow of being forgotten. In time, the speaker observes, the wise are remembered no longer than fools; all is swept into oblivion, and the wise die just as the fool dies. Human memory is too short to confer lasting meaning.
Yet Scripture answers this lament with quiet comfort: though people forget, God does not. The righteous are held in everlasting remembrance before Him, and not one is lost from His sight. The verse exposes the failure of earthly memory precisely so the heart will rest in the One who remembers His own forever and raises them to life.
Ecclesiastes 2:16 in the Original Language
zikkaron (זִכָּרוֹן), 'remembrance' -- a memorial or lasting memory, that by which someone or something is kept in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 2:16
What does Ecclesiastes 2:16 mean?
The Preacher laments that wise and fool alike are forgotten and die the same death.